The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-06-03

day or evening; nothing unusual at all
when he came in asked him what time
it was; he said half past nine; did no
sleep very we'll; was about half sleepy
Max was asleep; heard noise; some
one hollered fire in Mankato House
went out and saw q big crowd round
there; l knew of Max's engagement;
knew he was going to Winnepeg to get
married soon; frequently read the let.
ters from Makes intended, when there
was nothing particular in them.
He withstood the cross examination
well. Did not change his former testi-
mony given in this and preceding exam.
nations materially.
Mr.. HoLBoooK was put on the stand,
and testified as to being in front of the
Mankato House when the fire was first
discovered; talking with j. Shoemaker
and Mr.. Meagher; Henry Hamilton
came running down and said there was
a fire; went up and looked in, saw there
was; some one said let's go in; thought
it was pity TO break the glass, and said
would not do that; the fire don't look
big enough; pail of water will put it
tout; the fire looked trifiing; there was
no alarm given up to that time; heard
some one say the id Jew set it on
fire; heard some one say it two or three
tunes; the report was spread right there
that night that he had set il on fire; that
he was intending to leave, wanted to sell
out, etc. heard parties say let the id
thing burn; it did not take but short
time to put the fire out.
JESSE WEIGH and FERDINAND HoERR
were asked as to the time of the fire /;
they agreed that it was about 10 O'Clock !;
Hoerr could not say positive; il might
have been later.
g.. NJ. PHILIPS testified that it was
about 10 o'clock he thought when the
fire occurred; from half past 9 to 10 when
he went in the back door before Melon
aid did, he turned the latch on the lock
both ways and tried to open the door to
let the smoke out but could not do il.
Funk was putting the fire under the
stairs out; when went to the back door
do not think Falenstein was there at
that time; don't know for sure; told
some one to open the window; they did;
don't know who did open the widow;
the window and door were opened about
the same time.
CHAs. Coy testified he was one of the
first there; when he went in did not
smell any gas; found 3 or boxes on fire;
pulled them out and while doing 30 the
one next to the one he was pulling out
blazed up as if it had caught from the
one he had pulled out; it was on fire on
the inside not on the outside; then the
next one to that started up; don't see
how they could or did catch from the
ones on fire first; was in the building 3
or minutes.
Mr.. CLEMENTS testified that the force
of the water thrown by the Fire Co.
would have knocked a man down; If
the gas fixtures was loose and the stream
had hit il, it would have sent it whirl-
ing.
Several witnesses were introduced
who testified to Mr.. X g reputation and
character as business man and gen.
tleman as being good.
A deposition was introduced and read
to the jury from D. Jefferson in which
he said he sold to Krolik the oil can
along with some other household furni-
ture and described the same, descrip-
ton corresponding to the can IN evil
dence.
Also deposition from c. HI. Dagget,
now of Red Cloud, Nebraska; is timer
by trade; at time of fire was living in
Mankato working for Lewis the hard
ware man; had been in the store several
tunes; looked in the windo W when they
first went in the store the night of the
fire with light; had taken notice of the
gas fixtures being all in place as he look
ed in; there was not any of them down
at that time; the fire occurred between
8 and 10 o'clock p. M; did not go inside
the store the night of the fire.
SAMUEL POND testified as to there be-
ing marks of water being thrown by the
hose on the side wall within 2 feet of
the ceiling, also to the loose condition
of the gas fixtures; slight knock with
the finger or hand would set it whirling;
had purchased some furnishing goods of
Krolik after the fire that were damaged
with water.
RICHARD JONES testified to the fact that
he never, while in the employ of Mr.. X.
had seen an oil can in the building; had
no occasion to use one; had been by the
place where the can was found great
many times but never had noticed it
prior to the fire; did not notice anything
queer or singular or unusual in X. g ac-
tons the Sunday of the fire; X. was do
ing good business; finest trade in the
city; the very best class of goods as well
as customers.